Monday 28 February 2011

COUNTY JUNIOR GAMES

LINCOLNSHIRE U17
July 3rd v Northumberland Away ECB Cup
July 6/7th v Nottinghamshire Collingham CC Friendly
July 13/14th v Herefordshire Sleaford CC Championship
July 20/21st v Northumberland Away Championship
July 27/28 v Leicestershire Away Championship
July 31st v Leicestershire Away ECB Cup
August 5th v Herefordshire Scunthorpe Town CC ECB Cup
August 9/10th v Cumbria Sleaford CC Championship
August 11th v Cumbria Sleaford CC ECB Cup



LINCOLNSHIRE U16 (Friendly matches)
April 21st v Lincs U15 Woodhall Spa
June 19th v Warwickshire Warwick School
June 29th v Lincs U17 Barton Town CC
August 15th v Buckinghamshire Louth CC
August 22/23rd v Leicestershire Skegness CC (tbc)
August 24th v Norfolk Skegness CC (tbc)

Wednesday 23 February 2011

CALLING ALL LINCS COUNTY CRICKET LEAGUE CLUBS

As we've now switched over to online Play Cricket registrations for the 2011 season (and ditched the old paper forms), all clubs are urged to get cracking with setting up their League Registered Players and submitting them for approval to the League.
Whether or not your club has used Play Cricket in previous seasons, please check your players' list. We need to get EVERY player properly registered by the start of the season in mid-April.
Acting General Secretary/Fixture Secretary Glen Sands has sent out relevant information by email about how to achieve this. But everything is explained on your club's home page in the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) tab at the top. There you will find all you need, courtesy of the ECB Helpdesk experts. You will also find a link allowing you to email them for advice, if you need it. We find that they response very quickly to requests of this nature.
Please don't leave things until the last minute. By the April meeting we really need to get the vast majority of club players duly registered.
Instructions will be sent to all clubs, in due course, about how to complete scorecards, enter points and information about players of the match, ground markings, umpires' ground marks, etc. But the first step is to get all League Registered Players on our system.
All fixtures for leagues games and the two cup competitions have now been put up onto Play Cricket by Glen Sands and myself. Please take a few minutes to double-check these for us.
Please note that it's now the responsibility of every club, as part of the registration process, to ensure that all players have read the Code of Conduct/Spirit of the Game and agree to be bound by it. This was on the back of the ECB registration forms we used to use. The information will be included in the 2011 Handbook.

Tuesday 22 February 2011

TEST MATCH GROUNDSMAN DRAWS CROWD

By Martin Deans

The February meeting of the Lincolnshire Cricket Board's Cricket Groundsmen Association was An Evening with Keith Exton, held at the Lincoln Lindum Club.
The CGA had a great turnout with 30 groundsmen from all corners of Lincolnshire attending to hear “one of their own” speak. And with many new faces coming along to hear A Year or Two in the Life of a Test Match Groundsman, it was a magnificent advert for the CGAs and what they try to do for all involved in this wonderful occupation.
Keith spoke openly and truthfully of his experiences at the Swalec Stadium, the challenges he has faced with the media, a former Essex and England captain who now enjoys the comfort of a certain broadcaster's commentary box. And, indeed, the industry, the Welsh weather and the 'wanting' of constant weather forecasts from India.
It is certainly a challenging and envious position Keith enjoys; many of the challenges presented to him were issues on the square done during the hand-over between the old Sophia Gardens and the present stadium.
A battle he faces, in tandem with most club groundsmen up and down the country, is an extremely tight budget and not yet being able to carry out all the work on the square he wishes to do.
Keith spoke openly of his personal hurt and disappointment at the reporting of a wicket he prepared due to adverse spin and alleged under-preparation - lessons that stood him in good stead for producing a wicket which staged one of the most exciting Ashes Test matches seen for a long time. This was the thrilling First Test that went to the very last ball of the last day. As a Test match groundsman you cannot ask for more than that.
It was a fascinating evening, offering a glimpse behind the scenes at a new stadium - and two hours was not long enough to hear it all.
The next meeting of the CGA takes place on the 16th of March, when the guest speaker will be Derbyshire’s head groundsman, Neil Goddrich, ending another season of meetings which have been well attended and visited by some great speakers.

Pictured are Chairman Howard Swain (left), Keith Exton, and Martin Deans.

Monday 21 February 2011

WE SHOULD BE HONOURED...

Cricket Yorkshire (@cricketyorks) is now following your tweets (@nigelfisher) on Twitter.

CHANCE TO HEAR GOOCHIE

Former England captain Graham Gooch is coming to Lincolnshire to speak at a charity fundraiser. The event will be raising money for 15-year old Joshua Russell, from Huttoft, who has visual impairment (opticatrophy), cerebral palsy, severe learning difficulties and epilepsy.
Following the success of their last charity fundraiser this month with Jeff Probyn and Bill Wooland, Premier Events are delighted to announce the next at the Links Hotel, Drummond Road, Skegness, on Good Friday, 22nd April (7pm to dine).
The Charity Evening is with Graham Gooch and comedian John Stiles (son of England 1966 World Cup winner Nobby).
There will be a three-course meal and unique auction prizes. Tickets are limited and available through Premier Events 01754 767817 or The Links Hotel on 01754 761255.
They are £40 each, to be sold on a first come, first served basis.
Ladies and Gentlemen are equally welcome to attend.

Sunday 20 February 2011

FANCY AN AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY FRIENDLY?

From Steve Lilley,
Exiles at Bridge CC


We already have a game on the Friday (against Woodhall Spa) and are hoping to fill our Sunday fixture for our 1sts after a village game on the Saturday for our friendly XI.
I'm the 1st XL skipper/Tour Fixture Secretary/General dogsbody for a cricket team based in Canterbury, Kent. We have a tour planned in your area at the end of August (we are actually staying in Skegness) and wonder if there is any possibility we could arrange a fixture on Saturday 27th or Sunday 28th August.
As a team we are a real mix of ex-very good cricketers, never-any-good cricketers, think I'm really good but I'm nowhere near as good as I think I am cricketers and a few promising youngsters (a mix of county league, village league and social cricketers). The same as any club really. One thing we have always been noted for is our apres-cricket abilities. We like to play good cricket but also have a chuckle and are a very sociable lot.
If you are unable to offer us a fixture, any information on a Fixture Exchange for the area, or any team you think would be able to play us would be greatly appreciated.
Contact Steve Lilley (07825700307) or email WhatDoPointsMake@aol.com
Note: Exiles are on Play Cricket, if you wish to look them up that way.

Friday 18 February 2011

SNELLY'S BARGAINS

If any club require's a Flicx Pitch for the coming season I have two to sell.
Email me at - snelly66@hotmail.com
Based just outside Gainsborough.

Friday 11 February 2011

BOOK NOW FOR AGGERS "DO"

Caistor Town Cricket Club will host a Sportsman’s dinner on April 15 with the voice of the BBC’s cricket coverage and former England cricketer Jonathan Agnew. The “Evening with Jonathan Agnew” event will take place at Forest Pines, Broughton and will be sponsored by Cherry Valley.
“Aggers”, as he is affectionately called in cricketing circles, has recently returned to England from commentating on the successful Ashes series in Australia and will shortly be heading to Sri Lanka to cover the ICC Cricket One Day World Cup. He will be sure to have some fascinating stories and insights to share by the time the evening comes around in April.
The Former Leicestershire and England fast bowler took 666 first class wickets during his career and was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1988. He retired from the game in 1990 to become a cricket correspondent for a national newspaper and is now the presenter and lead commentator on BBC Radio's "Test Match Special" programme.
James Wright, sponsorship manager at Caistor Town Cricket Club, said “To secure ‘Aggers’, the voice of English cricket, is a great coup for Caistor Cricket Club. This is our first speaker event of this kind and we believe his experience, knowledge and jocular take on the game makes him a great draw for our any sport lover in the area. Tickets are limited and we expect the event to sell-out, so we would recommend people purchase them as early as possible.”
“Aggers” has become a huge hit on Twitter with some 75,000 followers as he shares his anecdotes from the commentary box, which he shares with legends of cricket that include: Phil Tufnell, Michael Vaughan, Alec Stewart, Henry Blofeld and Christopher Martin-Jenkins. He also has a special relationship with another former player turned commentator, the straight-talking Geoff Boycott. Wisden once described the pair as the "Lennon and McCartney of cricket broadcasting”.
Wrighty continues: “We will also be using the evening as an opportunity to welcome back our professional for the new season, Sri Lankan Sahan Wijeratne. Sahan has played for us over the past two seasons and last year having smashed the league record for the most runs scored in a season. We hope the “Evening with Aggers” event will be a great way to kick-off the season.”
Tickets are now available at £35 per person or £325 for a table of ten and includes a three course dinner. Dress code is lounge suit. To purchase a ticket contact Reg Percival on 07801 046040 or email reginald.percival@which.net. All proceeds will go towards junior cricket development at Caistor Cricket Club.

Thursday 10 February 2011

NEW DATE FOR QUIZ

From Ann Boulton

Following the cancellation of the Lincolnshire Cricket Lovers’ Society December quiz because of the weather, it will now be held on Tuesday, March 8th at Cleethorpes Cricket Club at 7.30pm.
Teams of four are invited for what is a light-hearted evening to test competitors’ cricketing knowledge. The cost is £20 per team to include a pie and peas supper.
To enter a team, ring Ron Gardner on 01472 877798.
The Society’s February meeting, on Wednesday 16th at 7.30pm, features Confessions of a Cricketing Parson with Rev Canon Alan Haydock who is a member of Nottinghamshire CCC and a keen cricket fan. He is famed for his very funny talks and this promises to be a very enjoyable evening.

Tuesday 8 February 2011

GROUND EXPERTISE

From Martin Deans

ECB COUNTY PITCH ADVISER SCHEME
AND THE COUNTY CRICKET GROUNDSMEN ASSOCIATION


The pitch advisor scheme is run by the ECB in connection with the Institute of Groundsmanship and is an Advisory and consultation service to clubs to help assess and ultimately improve the quality of the Grounds that we play on, to try and develop wickets of quality throughout the county. For clubs wishing to progress through the league structures as well as developing their junior sides the pitch advisor can help with the improvement of the ground through the consultation process which includes a detailed assement of the grass quality and quantity, root structure within the soil profile, and chemical annaylis of the soil core to develop correct fertilizing programme, advice on the best course of end of season renovations, these are just some of the aspects of the service to which we can provide. As well as having a comprehensive data base of contractors to recommend in construction or Re construction of grounds to being able to source the best price for seed the pitch advisor is now considered an essential part of Ground improvement and development throughout the country.
For further information on any aspects of this service please telephone the Lincolnshire County Pitch Advisor Martin Deans on 01472 269044/07971087891, or email martindeans@btinternet.com
It is also recommended that the groundspearson at your club become a member of the Lincolnshire Cricket Grounds Association, we meet monthly throughout the winter normally and listen to some of the most respected figures of the grounds industry, from groundsmen that look after test match venues and county grounds to machinery suppliers it really is a must that if you are involved in the ground preparation you make it a priority to join and support this association.
For any further information please contact Martin Deans as above or the association secretary Mike Savage at mikesavage199@btinternet.com.at the Lincoln Lindum club. For a small membership fee you will have the chance to come.

Saturday 5 February 2011

LINDSEY LEAGUE FIXTURES UNVEILED

Glen Sands has now issued the 2011 North Lindsey League fixtures to clubs competing in the three division of this ever-popular Sunday competition.


DIVISION ONE
SUN MAY 1ST

Barton Acadamy Vikings v Cleethorpes 5ths
Messingham 3rds v App Frodingham 3rds
Scunthorpe 4ths v Caistor Cougars

SUN MAY 8TH

Grimsby Town 3rds v Caistor Cougars
Messingham 3rds v Cleethorpes 5ths
Scunthorpe 4ths v App Frodingham 3rds

SUN MAY 15TH

Caistor Cougars v Messingham 3rds
Grimsby Town 3rds v Scunthorpe 4ths

SUN MAY 22ND
DIVISIONAL CUP 1ST ROUND

1. Messingham 3rds v Barton Acadamy Vikings
2. Scunthorpe 4ths v Cleethorpes 5ths
3. Caistor Cougars v Grimsby Town 3rds
4. BYE - App Frodingham 3rds

SUN MAY 29TH

Barton Acadamy Vikings v App Frodingham 3rds
Cleethorpes 5ths v Caistor Cougars
Grimsby Town 3rds v Messingham 3rds

SUN JUNE 5TH

Barton Acadamy Vikings v Caistor Cougars
Grimsby Town 3rds v Cleethorpes 5ths
Messingham 3rds v Scunthorpe 4ths

SUN JUNE 12TH

Caistor Cougars v App Frodingham 3rds
Grimsby Town 3rds v Barton Acadamy Vikings
Scunthorpe 4ths v Cleethorpes 5ths

SUN JUNE 19TH

App Frodingham 3rds v Grimsby Town 3rds
Barton Acadamy Vikings v Scunthorpe 4ths

SUN JUNE 26TH

App Frodingham 3rds v Barton Acadamy Vikings
Caistor Cougars v Cleethorpes 5ths
Messingham 3rds v Grimsby Town 3rds

SUN JULY 3RD

App Frodingham 3rds v Cleethorpes 5ths
Messingham 3rds v Barton Acadamy Vikings
Scunthorpe 4ths v Grimsby Town 3rds

SUN JULY 10TH

App Frodingham 3rds v Messingham 3rds
Caistor Cougars v Scunthorpe 4ths
Cleethorpes 5ths v Barton Acadamy Vikings

SUN JULY 17TH

App Frodingham 3rds v Caistor Cougars
Barton Acadamy Vikings v Grimsby Town 3rds
Cleethorpes 5ths v Scunthorpe 4ths

SUN JULY 24TH

App Frodingham 3rds v Scunthorpe 4ths
Caistor Cougars v Grimsby Town 3rds
Cleethorpes 5ths v Messingham 3rds

SUN JULY 31ST
DIVISIONAL CUP SEMI FINALS

1 v 3

4 v 2

SUN AUGUST 7TH

Grimsby Town 3rds v App Frodingham 3rds
Messingham 3rds v Caistor Cougars
Scunthorpe 4ths v Barton Acadamy Vikings

SUN AUGUST 14TH

Caistor Cougars v Barton Acadamy Vikings
Cleethorpes 5ths v Grimsby Town 3rds
Scunthorpe 4ths v Messingham 3rds

SUN AUGUST 21ST
DIVISIONAL CUP FINAL

SUN AUGUST 28TH

Barton Acadamy Vikings v Messingham 3rds
Cleethorpes 5ths v App Frodingham 3rds

DIVISION TWO

SUN MAY 1ST

Alkborough 3rds v Barton Town 4ths
Haxey 3rds v Broughton 3rds
Hibaldstow 2nds v Outcasts 3rds

SUN MAY 8TH

Alkborough 3rds v Haxey 3rds
Barton Town 4ths v Outcasts v3rds
Hibaldstow 2nds v Wheatley & Leverton

SUN MAY 15TH

Broughton 3rds v Hibaldstow 2nds
Haxey 3rds v Outcasts 3rds
Wheatley & Leverton v Alkborough 3rds

SUN MAY 22ND
DIVISIONAL CUP 1ST ROUND

1. Haxey 3rds v Outcasts 3rds
2. Wheatley & Leverton v Barton Town 4ths
Broughton 3rds v Alkborough 3rds 4. BYE - Hibaldstow 2nds

SUN MAY 29TH

Broughton 3rds v Barton Town 4ths
Haxey 3rds v Hibaldstow 2nds

SUN JUNE 5TH

Alkborough 3rds v Broughton 3rds
Haxey 3rds v Wheatley & Leverton
Hibaldstow 2nds v Barton Town 4ths

SUN JUNE 12TH

Barton Town 4ths v Haxey 3rds
Outcasts 3rds v Alkborough 3rds
Wheatley & Leverton v Broughton 3rds

SUN JUNE 19TH

Alkborough 3rds v Hibaldstow 2nds
Broughton 3rds v Outcasts 3rds
Wheatley & Leverton v Barton Town 4ths

SUN JUNE 26TH

Barton Town 4ths v Alkborough 3rds
Broughton 3rds v Haxey 3rds
Outcasts 3rds v Hibaldstow 2nds

SUN JULY 3RD

Barton Town 4ths v Broughton 3rds
Hibaldstow 2nds v Haxey 3rds
Wheatley & Leverton v Outcasts 3rds

SUN JULY 10TH

Alkborough 3rds v Wheatley & Leverton
Hibaldstow 2nds v Broughton 3rds
Outcasts 3rds v Haxey 3rds

SUN JULY 17TH

Alkborough 3rds v Outcasts 3rds
Broughton 3rds v Wheatley & Leverton
Haxey 3rds v Barton Town 4ths

SUN JULY 24TH

Haxey 3rds v Alkborough 3rds
Outcasts 3rds v Barton Town 4ths
Wheatley & Leverton v Hibaldstow 2nds

SUN JULY 31ST
DIVISIONAL CUP SEMI FINALS

1 v 4

2 v 3

SUN AUGUST 7TH

Barton Town 4ths v Wheatley & Leverton
Hibaldstow 2nds v Alkborough 3rds
Outcasts 3rds v Broughton 3rds

SUN AUGUST 14TH

Barton Town 4ths v Hibaldstow 2nds
Broughton 3rds v Alkborough 3rds
Wheatley & Leverton v Haxey 3rds

SUN AUGUST 21ST

Outcasts 3rds v Wheatley & Leverton

SUN AUGUST 28TH
DIVISIONAL CUP FINAL


DIVISION THREE

SUN MAY 8TH

Broughton 4ths v Epworth
Everton 3rds v Luddington
Normanby Park v Upton cum Kexby

SUN MAY 15TH

Epworth v Normanby Park
Luddington v Broughton 4ths
Misterton 2nds v Everton 3rds
Upton cum Kexby v Bottesford


SUN MAY 22ND
DIVISIONAL CUP 1ST ROUND

1. Luddington v Broughton 4ths
2. Everton 3rds v Epworth
3. Upton cum Kexby v Bottesford
4. Misterton 2nds v Normanby Park

SUN MAY 29TH

Bottesford v Epworth
Everton 3rds v Broughton 4ths
Luddington v Misterton 2nds

SUN JUNE 5TH

Bottesford v Broughton 4ths
Everton 3rds v Upton cum Kexby
Luddington v Epworth
Misterton 2nds v Normanby Park

SUN JUNE 12TH

Bottesford v Luddington
Broughton 4ths v Misterton 2nds
Everton 3rds v Normanby Park
Upton cum Kexby v Epworth

SUN JUNE 19TH

Bottesford v Misterton 2nds
Epworth v Everton 3rds
Luddington v Normanby Park
Upton cum Kexby v Broughton 4ths

SUN JUNE 26TH

Epworth v Upton cum Kexby
Misterton 2nds v Broughton 4ths
Normanby Park v Bottesford

SUN JULY 3RD

Bottesford v Upton cum Kexby
Broughton 4ths v Luddington
Everton 3rds v Misterton 2nds
Normanby Park v Epworth

SUN JULY 10TH

Bottesford v Normanby Park
Epworth v Broughton 4ths
Luddington v Everton 3rds
Upton cum Kexby v Misterton 2nds

SUN JULY 17TH

Bottesford v Everton 3rds
Misterton 2nds v Epworth
Normanby Park v Broughton 4ths
Upton cum Kexby v Luddington

SUN JULY 24TH

Broughton 4ths v Everton 3rds
Epworth v Bottesford
Misterton 2nds v Luddington
Upton cum Kexby v Normanby Park

SUN JULY 31ST

Broughton 4ths v Upton cum Kexby
Everton 3rds v Epworth
Misterton 2nds v Bottesford
Normanby Park v Luddington

SUN AUGUST 7TH

Luddington v Bottesford
Misterton 2nds v Upton cum Kexby
Normanby Park v Everton 3rds

SUN AUGUST 14TH
DIVISIONAL CUP SEMI FINALS

1 v 3

2 v 4


SUN AUGUST 21ST

Broughton 4ths v Bottesford
Epworth v Luddington
Normanby Park v Misterton 2nds
Upton cum Kexby v Everton 3rds

SUN AUGUST 28TH

Broughton 4ths v Normanby Park
Epworth v Misterton 2nds
Everton 3rds v Bottesford
Luddington v Upton cum Kexby

SUN SEPTEMBER 4TH
DIVISIONAL CUP FINAL